Roundabout.



1. SHEWAN ROUNDABOUT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. B 1915 1,179,232. Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

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THE COLUMBIA PLA IOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

JAMES SHEWAN, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.

ROUNDABOUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 8, 1915. Serial No. 49,427.

To allwhom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES SHEWAN, a subject of the King-of Great Britain, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roundabouts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to roundabouts, and more particularlv to that type of roundabout in which a circular rotating platform is suspended from overhanging sweeps.

The object of my invention is the provision of carrying objects which are representations or images of flying birds, the birds being provided with wings adapted to move similar to those of a bird flying.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to'be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawing I have shown a fragmentary vertical section through a roundabout of common construction equipped with my invention, a single rider object being shown in connection therewith, although these are spaced around the platform in the usual manner so that a number of persons will be able to ride upon the roundabout as is customary.

- In the drawing the reference numeral 1 represents the center mast having a braced base 2 to properly support the same in vertical position. At the top of this mast a casting 3 is provided having hooks 4 to which guy wires 5 are connected. Between the base and the upper end of the mast I secure the usual rotatable sweep-supporting casting 6 to which the inner ends of the radial sweep 7 are secured, the outer ends of said sweeps being supported by the guy wires 5 which are connected at their outer or lower ends to hooks 8 secured to said sweeps.

9 represents the circular rotatable carrier or platform which is suspended from the sweeps 7 by means of rods 10. The base 2 is provided with a bearing 11 in-which the main drive shaft 12 is journaled, said drive shaft having a pullev 13 secured thereto around which a belt may be passed in the usual manner driven by any suitable source of power. On this shaft is also secured a bevel gear-wheel 14 which is in mesh with a bevel gear-wheel 15 secured to the lower 7 Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

end of a vertically-disposed shaft 16, said shaft being mounted for rotation in a bearing 17 secured to the base 2, as at 18, and in a bearing 19 formed at the outer end of a casting 20 which is secured to the mast 1, as at 21. To the upper end of the vertically-disposed shaft 16 a gear-wheel 22 is secured which is in mesh with an internal gear rim 23 secured to hangers 24: depending from and fastened to the sweeps 7. Upon rotation of the vertically-disposed shaft 16 the internal gear rim 23 is rotated, and as said rim is rigidly connected with the sweeps 7 the latter are caused to rotate about the mast, carrying the carrier or platform 19 around in a circular path. A circular gear rack 25 is rigidly secured to the mast, and meshing therewith is a gear-wheel 26 secured to the inner end of a radially-disposed shaft 27. This shaft is journaled in bearings 28 secured to hangers 29- carried by the sweeps 7, and the outer end of said shaft isprovided with a crank 30 having a wrist pin 31 thereon.

It is to be understood that there are as many radially-disposed shafts 27 as there are carrier objects or images on the roundabout, and each of these shafts has its wrist pin 31 secured to vertically moving supporting rods 32 to which the carrying objects or images are secured. The lower ends of each of these rods is guided for move-- ment in tubes 33 fastened to the carrieror platform. When the sweeps 7 rotate about the mast 1 the gear wheels 26 travel over the annular gear rack 25 and are caused to rotate, thus rotating the shafts 27 and causing the supporting rods 32 to reciprocate.

Covering the parts of the roundabout is a canopy 34 which may rotate with the sweeps, or if desired, be held in a fixed position, either arrangement being common in roundabouts. The parts thus far described are those of a roundabout in general use and form no portion of my invention, and I desire further to state that the mounting of carrying objects or images on vertically reciprocating rods is in common use. I have, however, provided a carrying object or image of novel construction in which the movement of parts of the roundabout are employed to actuate my invention. I have provided a representation or similitude of a bird with spread wings which may be con- 110 structed of wood in a manner similar to the horses commonly used on roundabouts, or of any other suitable material.

In the drawing I have shown a representation of an eagle whose body is secured to the reciprocating rod 32 and whose spread wings 36 are pivotally secured to the body, as at 37. Each of the wings 36 has pivotally secured thereto the upper end of a vertically-disposed rod 38, as at 39, the lower ends of these rods being pivotally secured to the carrier or platform, as at 40. The relation of the pivots 39 and 40 remain unchangeable, due to the fact that the rods 38 are non-yielding, and therefore when the body 35 of the bird risesand lowers with the reciprocating rod 32 the pivotal points 37 move with relation to the pivotal points 39 and cause the wings 36 to move similar to a bird flying.

If desired, the rider may mount the body of the bird in a manner similar to that in which the horses of the present form of roundabouts are mounted, but I have provided a seat tl on the body of each bird and a guard rail 42 which may, however, be dispensed with if desired, or when other forms of seating persons are provided for.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is, I

1. In a roundabout, an image comprising a body and wings pivotally secured to the body, means for causing the body to move with respect to the wings, and means for holding the wings against movement at points between their outer ends and their pivoted inner ends.

2. In a roundabout, the combination with a vertically reciprocating rod, of an image having a body portion secured to said rod and a pair of spread wings pivotally secured to said body portion, and means for holding the wings at points between their ends.

3. In a roundabout, the combination with a vertically reciprocating rod, of an image having a body portion secured to said rod, spread wings pivotally secured to opposite sides of said body portion, and rods pivotally connected to said wings between their ends and to a portion of the roundabout held against vertical movement.

4. In a; roundabout, the combination with a moving platform and a vertically reciprocating rod, of an image comprising a body portion secured to said rod, and wings eX- tending outwardly from said body portion and having connection therewith to permit said wings to move with respect to said body portion, and rods pivotally connecting said wings between their ends with said platform.

In testimony whereof I aflix myv signature.

JAMES SHEWAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

